What is the most common job?

The state of the labor market is a significant barometer of the state of the economy. A glance at the sectors that are essential to the economy, as well as those that are gaining popularity or becoming outdated, may be discerned by comparing the occupations that are the most prevalent to those that are the least common.

Industry growth patterns are said to have a key impact in boosting employment totals, as stated by Martin Kohli, chief regional economist at the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). According to Kohli, those who hold jobs in the most in-demand sectors throughout the country are "working in vocations that have also been increasing." According to Kohli, the food preparation sector is one of the most rapidly growing industries. Food preparers are one of the most prevalent positions in the industry. In a similar vein, the number of licensed practical nurses and registered nurses is increasing along with the expansion of the health care sector.

In contrast, a significant number of the least frequent employment in the country are found in sectors that are far less extensive than they formerly were. One example of this is the manufacturing industry. According to Kohli, "it is evident that a number of these positions are on the decrease since the sectors that employ them are on the decline, and the technology they utilize is on the decline."

In point of fact, employment in a number of unusual professions is forecast to decrease significantly. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that the number of people working in the animal breeding industry will decrease by 23 percent between 2012 and 2022, while the number of people working in the fabric mending industry will decrease by 10 percent. Even though the overall number of occupations is forecast to grow by 11 percent over this time period, it is anticipated that the number of people working as radio operators and wood pattern-makers would remain almost same.

Despite this, several of these unusual occupations offer the opportunity for advancement and pay rather well for their fields. As of 2013, the typical yearly salary for a geographer was over than $75,000, while the typical annual salary for an industrial-organizational psychologist was about $88,000. Between the years 2012 and 2022, the BLS projects that employment in these fields will increase by 29 percent and 53 percent, respectively.

On the other hand, the average salary for the most prevalent occupations in the country was quite low. Cashiers, waiters and waitresses, and food preparation employees all earned, on average, less than $25,000 yearly between them. These positions are among the most frequent in the United States. When compared, the typical annual wage for workers in the United States was more than $46,000. Only registered nurses received an average wage that was higher than the national average for all jobs, even though nursing was one of the 10 most prevalent jobs in the country.

The majority of the most popular employment in this nation do not call for a significant amount of formal schooling. For instance, those who work in the food preparation industry often do not need a high school certificate and need just little training. Janitors, cashiers, and retail salespeople are examples of other prevalent positions that normally do not need a higher level of education or a significant amount of experience.

The most prevalent occupations are also the ones that provide the fewest prospects for promotion. People, according to Kohli, "don't conceive of many of these positions, such as cashier or retail salesman, as having a career ladder that would lead to a higher-paid job," even if there may very well be exceptions to this rule. According to Kohli, another factor that may contribute to lower earnings is the fact that these types of occupations are often not unionized.

24/7 Wall St. analyzed data on occupational employment and earnings for more than 800 different professions in order to discover which occupations are the most and least frequent in the United States. The data was obtained from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment Statistics (OES). These numbers represent statistics as of May 2013, when the survey was conducted. In addition to this, we looked at employment projections provided by the Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections within the Bureau. These forecasts anticipate changes in employment levels, broken down by profession, between the years 2012 and 2022. In the end, we went through the Occupational Outlook Handbook as well as the O*NET OnLine website to check at the descriptive information on various jobs. Because OES numbers do not take into account people who are self-employed, occupations were eliminated from consideration if additional information pertaining to the sector suggested that OES totals could be insufficient estimations.

These are the most prevalent occupations in the United States:

10. Cleaning staff and janitors

• The total number of employment opportunities: 2.1 million

• The percentage difference between 2012 and 2022 is 12.1%

• The average yearly income comes in around $25,140

According to the BLS, the number of people working as janitors is forecast to increase by 12 percent between the years 2012 and 2022. This figure is nearly comparable to the 10.8 percent growth rate that is projected for all employment in the United States. In most cases, having a college degree is not necessary in order to work as a janitor. The Bureau of Labor Statistics finds that the yearly compensation for a janitor is much lower than the average wage for most other jobs. In 2012, the typical janitor made $25,140, which is much less than the national average of $46,440.

9. Administrative secretaries and assistance to the administrative staff

• The total number of employment opportunities: 2.2 million

• The percentage difference between 2012 and 2022 is 13.2 percent

• Income per year, on average, is $34,000

Even though it is already one of the most prevalent positions in the country, the number of people working as secretaries is expected to continue growing. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects a 13.2 percent rise between 2012 and 2022, which is just a little bit higher than the 10.8 percent job growth average throughout the country. However, the salary for these occupations is often not very significant. As of 2013, the average salary for secretaries and administrative assistants in the United States was $34,000, which was much lower than the overall average salary in the country of $46,440.

8. manual workers and others who transfer materials

• The total number of employment opportunities: 2.3 million

• The percentage difference between 2012 and 2022 is 11.0 percent

• The typical yearly income comes in around $26,690

The majority of the time, movers are employed in environments such as warehouses, where they are responsible for the packing, transporting, and inventorying of items. In many cases, the qualifications for the position focus more on a candidate's physical abilities and less on their level of education or training. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that rising levels of consumer spending will continue to be a primary factor in the need for warehouse space. Even if this will result in a higher need for movers, part of the potential rise in demand might be neutralized by an increase in the degree to which some processes are automated. The salary for many of these positions is often quite low. In the previous year, the annual salary for movers was lower than $27,000, with an average hourly wage of slightly under $13.

7. Representatives of the customer service department

• The total number of employment opportunities: 2.4 million

• The percentage difference between 2012 and 2022 is 12.6%

• Income per year, on average, is $33,370

Customer service personnel are responsible for fielding inquiries and grievances from clients, most often through telephone. When compared to the national average salary of more than $46,000, pay for customer service representatives is often rather low. In 2013, customer service professionals earned an average of $33,370. There aren't a lot of doors that may be opened to make additional money in this job. The highest-paid 10 percent of all customer service agents earned more than $50,570 yearly, compared to the highest-paid 10 percent of all employees who made more than $88,000 annually.

6. Waiters and waitresses at the restaurant

• The total number of employment opportunities: 2.4 million

• The percentage increase from 2012 to 2022 will be 5.6%

• The average yearly income comes in around $20,880

Although waiters had one of the lowest average annual salaries in the nation in 2017, coming in at just $20,808, the position does have some advantages. There are a lot of eateries that provide complimentary meals to their employees. Additionally, tips are often given in the form of cash. Students and other people looking for supplemental money via part-time employment may like the job's flexible scheduling options, which are provided in many instances. According to the data provided by the BLS in 2012, about half of all waiters and waitresses had part-time jobs. Between the years 2012 and 2022, it is anticipated that there will be a growth of about 6 percent in the number of people working as waiters and waitresses.

5. Registered nurses

• The total number of employment opportunities: 2.7 million

• The percentage difference between 2012 and 2022 is 19.4 percent

• Income each year, on average, is $68.910

Already recognized as one of the most sought-after careers in the country is nursing. In addition, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) forecasts that the number of registered nurses will continue to rise — by 19 percent between the years of 2012 and 2022 — as a direct result of an older population and increased access to medical care. There are several other routes one may take to become a registered nurse, such as enrolling in nursing associate's degree programs, nursing bachelor's degree programs, or nursing diploma programs. In addition to having to meet educational and licensure requirements, the majority of nursing jobs have difficult work schedules. On the other hand, nurses often have good pay, with an annual average compensation that was about $69 000 the year before, which is much more than the national average for all professions.

4. clerical staff in offices

• The total number of employment opportunities: 2.8 million

• The percentage increase from 2012 to 2022 will be 6.2%

• The typical yearly income comes in around $29,990

In different businesses, office clerks are responsible for a variety of tasks, but in general, their work contributes to the efficient operation of the office. This requires copying, filing, and organizing both physical and electronic records, as well as sorting mail, modifying memos, and disseminating them, and filing copies of papers. The typical annual salary for an office clerk in the United States was $29,990 in 2017, placing this job in the category of the lowest earning careers in the country. In most cases, a college degree is not necessary to possess the skill set required for the job. Even for those making the most money, the pay was not very generous. Only ten percent of clerks managed to bring home an annual salary of at least $45,350. It is anticipated that the number of clerks working in the United States would increase at a rate that is much slower than the average for all professions, which is 6.2 percent between the years 2012 and 2022.

3. Individuals responsible for the preparation and presentation of food

• The total number of available positions is three million.

• The percentage difference between 2012 and 2022 is 14.2 percent

• The average yearly salary comes in around $18,880

The majority of jobs in the food preparation and service industries may be found in quick-service restaurants. In most cases, the position does not need for either a high school graduation or much prior training. On the other hand, the physical requirements of the job may be demanding at times, and the working environment, which may at times include hot ovens and damp flooring, can be dangerous. Many employees in the food preparation and service industries are paid relatively little for their labor. The average hourly wage was $9.08, which is less than half of the national average for all employees in the United States. In point of fact, several of the industry's largest companies have been called out for the poor wages they provide. As of the year 2012, half of all employees in this category were only worked part time. One of the most common explanations for why workers at fast-food restaurants are not paid a salary that allows them to make ends meet is because they do not have access to full-time employment.

2. Tellers/Cashiers

• The total number of employment opportunities: 3.3 million

• The annual percentage increase from 2012 through 2022 is 2.6%

• Income per year, on average, is $20,420

As of 2013, the average cashier salary was $20,420, making it one of the lowest wages available throughout the nation. It is anticipated that the number of cashiers in the United States will increase by only 2.6 percent by the year 2022, which is significantly lower than the overall job growth expectation for the United States of 11 percent by that year. This is due to the increasing prevalence of self-service checkouts and online sales. The Bureau of Labor Statistics found that around one quarter of cashiers in the nation were employed in supermarkets, whereas just seventeen percent were employed in gas stations.

1. Retail Salespersons

• The total number of employment opportunities: 4.5 million

• The percentage difference between 2012 and 2022 is 9.8 percent

• The typical yearly income comes in around $25,370

As of May 2013, retail sales has the most employees of any occupation, with approximately 4.5 million people holding jobs in the industry. Retail salespeople have the opportunity to sell a wide variety of goods, including clothing, gadgets, and even automobiles. The average hourly wage for retail salespeople was $12.20 as of the previous year, which was more than $10 per hour less than the average hourly wage for all occupations. This indicates that retail salespeople are not necessarily compensated highly. In 2012, almost one-third of all retail salespeople worked part time, however it's possible that some of them would want to work full time. In an effort to keep their labor expenses down, several of the nation's largest retailers have instituted policies that limit workers' hours and prohibit them from gaining full-time employment. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment opportunities in the retail sector will increase by 10 percent between 2012 and 2022, notwithstanding the expansion of online shopping.